Rowing machine



July 12, 1949. A. F. JACKSON ROWING MACHINE 4 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed Feb. 28, 1946 [N VEN TOR.

y 2,1949. A. F. M W 2,475,667

ROWING MACHINE Filfld Feb. 28, 1 946 4 Sheets-Sheet 2 INVENTOR.

- A 7' Tammy y 1949. A. F. JACKSON 2,475,667

ROWING MACHINE Filed Feb. 28, 1946 4 Sheets-Sheet 3 INVENTOR.

ATTOK/Yfy A. F. JACKSON ROWING MACHINE July 12, 1949.,

4 Sheets-Sheet 4 Filed Feb. 28, 1946 Patented July 12, 1949 UNITED STATES ROWING MACHINE Alexander F. Jackson, East Grange, N. J.

application February 28, 1946, Serial No. 650,817

(El. 2l2-'72) 3 Claims. 1

This invention relates in general to exercising apparatus and in particular to exercising apparatus of the rowing-machine type.

One object of my invention is to provide a machine. which will in operation simulate the action characterizing actual rowing so that the operator is enabled to secure all of the benefits incident to rowing a racing shell or scull.

Another object is to provide a machine of this character with an operating handle or lever and novel and improved means for providing resistance to movement of the lever in both the pull stroke and the recovery stroke.

Another object is to provide means for regulating the resistance on both the rearward and forward strokes to suit persons of varying muscular strength.

Another object is to provide a machine of this character which shall include novel and improved means for adjusting it to suit persons of different stature.

Another object is to provide a machine of the character described having a base, a handle bar and foot rest mounted thereon, and means for adjustably positioning the handle or lever to adapt the device to the length of the and legs of the operator.

Another object is to provide a machine of the character described which shall include a base, and a novel and improved construction and combination of a friction drum, 9. flexible friction band slidable circumferentially of the drum, and a handle or lever connected to said friction band whereby said band will be caused to frictionally engage said drum and provide a determined amount of resistance to swinging of said lever in both the pull stroke and the push stroke.

Another object is to provide a machine of this character embodying novel and improved features of construction such that it is low enough to be shoved under an article of furniture in the home, and is light and compact enough to be stood on end in a closet or in a corner of a room.

Another object is to provide a machine of this lrind that may readily be disassembled and folded into compact form for transportation.

Further objects of the invention are to provide a machine of this character that is simple and rugged in construction, inexpensive to manufacturo, reliable, highly efiicient and noiseless in operation.

Other objects, advantages and results of this invention will appear from the following description in conjunction with the accompanying drawings, in which Figure l is a top plan view of an exercising machine embodying my invention;

Figure 2 is a side elevational view thereof show-- the operating lever near its forward position in full lines and near its rearward position in dot and dash lines;

Figure 3 is a sectional View taken on the plane of the line 3-3 of Figure 2;

Figure 4. is an enlarged fragmentary side elevational view of the friction unit showing the operating lever at the start of its rearward or pull-stroke;

Figure 5 is a sectional view of the parts shown in Figure 4 at the end of the forward or pushstroke;

Figure 6 is a View similar to Figure 5 but showing the operating lever near the end of its rear ward or pull-stroke;

Figures 7, 8 and 9 are views similar to Figures i, 5 and 6, respectively, but showing the parts adjusted for reducing the frictional resistance during the forward or push-stroke;

Figure 10 is a cross-sectional view taken on the plane of the line lti of Figure 5;

Figure 11 is a cross-sectional view taken on the plane of the line HIl of Figure 5;

Figure 12 is a detail view showing the connection between the outer metallic strip and th lever;

Figure 13 is a detail view partly in elevation and partly in section of a modified form of sliding seat, and

Figure 14 an end view thereof,

Referring to the drawings in detail, my improved machine comprises a sectional base board formed of a front section l and a rear section 2. The sections are joined together by a lower U shaped clamping plate a and an upper clamping plate 2, both plates overlapping the meeting edges of the sections. The upper plate is fastened to the sections by meansof fastening members 5, and the sections may be easily disassembled by removing the fastening members from the rear section. The base is supported at its front end on spherical casters 5 to permit it to be readily pushed around on a floor, and at its rear end on a friction pad l to keep the machine from slipping when in use. The casters and pad project only slightly below the under surface of the base board so that it rests close to the floor. An inclined foot rest or board 8 is firmly mounted on the front of the base board by means of bolts 9 extending through a vertically disposed front brace member lil providing a solid fiat foundation at its end forsupportingthe machine in an upright position when not in use. The foot rest is provided with a strap l I having openings 12 to permit a single adjustment for both feet and for various size feet. Parallel grooves 13 on the upper surface of the base provide a trackway or guideway for the wheels M of a sliding seat I5. While the base, foot rest and seat are preferably made of wood, they may of course be made of any other suitable materialand may be made-to harmonize with the surrounding. furniture-infthethome.

An important feature of my invention is the provision of a friction unit for providing resistance to the forward (push) and rearward (pull) movements of an operating lever or handle This unit comprises a U-shaped bracket .ll'l fastened to the front section of the base by means of bolts 18 passing through openings l9 in .;'the section. The openings are aligned and-.equally spaced to permit adjustment of the bracket along the base to provide leg length adjustment. .Secured to the'inner 'surfacesof the upstanding side walls 20 of the bracketis-a circular tubulardrum 25, preferably by welding its edges -of---sa'id--"side Walls thereby securing the bracket to thedrum. Encircling the drum is a-flexible"friction-band which comprises a strip 22 of "a *brake-lining or leather secured to an outer strip 23-of thin metal. Secured to one end'of the band by means of fastening members i 24 passing through the strips'22 and 23 is a relatively'rigid friction shoe member or band 25. This shoe-member is'formed with a looped portion 26 forming a bearing-fora shaft 21 for securing said *end of thefriction band to theinner end of the levenorhandle 16.

At the other end of the friction band, the outer strip 23 terminates in a" looped portion 28 form- 'inga bearing for a cross -pln'29. Th'e'doopedportion has a central cut-away porti'on3ll'to permit a threaded eye-bolt 3i to be mountedon'the" pin for adjustablyconnecting this end of theband to the lever by'means of a thumb nut 32.

The lever l6-is 'U-shaped in" cross 'sectionwith its inner enddisposedat such an angletothe remainder of the lever that when the--lever'--is at the start of its" pul1=str0ke thefirst" movement rearwardly is to close the heel of the lever "'"l fi'onto the shoe 25," thus causing "the "friction b'and vto tighten upon the drum. *At their 'inner 'endsfthe side walls 33 of the lever straddle the drum 2| and the top surface'thereof at'this point is shaped to conform to and engage'theupper surface'of the friction shoe 25.

Extending between" the inner straddling :Jportions'v of the" side 'walls' ot "the lever iSl a; cylinder 35 which is rotatably and eccentricallysupported cm a screw threaded sh'aft' it supported :by the sidewalls. 'The 'end faces of the cylinder are serratedor roughened as at 31 for ti'ghtly-em gaging the inner surfaces of the-side -wallswhen a wing nut 38*on the'outer end -of-' the shaft is tightened. T Loosely mounted onlthe' cylinder =is-a pair of rollers 39,?the inner: adj acent ends "thereof being slightly spaced apart to permit insertion or a pin tor the like intoan opening ll in the cylinder for rotating said-cylinder on1.its shaft36.

"The-"outerendpf the lever-is formed-with spaced pairs -of g-rooves 42 "in the edges-*ofrthe side Walls and with "an-opening inthercenter of the top portion" of 'the' lever'in alignment-with each pair of grooves for'' receiving a bolt 44" for fastening a handlebar 45't0'theouter endof'the lever. The handle-barmay-be"'moved""along and secured" in" any "pair: of aligned grooves to suit the-"stature "0f "anyperson" using'themachine.

In using the machine, the operator moves the seat to its forward position as shown in Figures 1 and 2 and sitting on it, with his legs straddling the drum and his feet beneath the strap l I, grasps the handle bar with both hands, the lever being in the forward position as shown in Figure 2. The handle bar is pulled rearwardly and upwardly in an arc and at the same time pressure is exerted on .thefoot rest which will. move the seat with .the i-ioperator rearwardly along the trackfway. During this action, the inner end of the lever aabuts against the outer surface of the friction .shoe as indicated at 34, and the friction band will? be pulled tightly around the drum 2| by the upward and rearwardly swinging movement of the lever through the eye-bolt 3| thereby creating .znstrong: resistance to the swinging of said lever rearwardly.

After the lever has been swung to its furthermost limit rearwardly as shown in Figures 2 and (Spit is pushed forwardly by the operator and at the-same time hisbody is pulled forward with the seat by pulling with his feet on the strap I l. During this pushing action, the rollers 33 of the cylinder 35 engage the inner surface of the-drum and the lever presses on the friction shoe 25 at thepivot 21. At the same time, the end'of the band connected to the eye-bolt 3| will bereleased. Accordingly, there will be frictional resistance to the forward movement of the lever of considerably less degree than that encountered on- 'the rearward'movement of the lever, the friction being produced between the drum and the friction band in the zone between the cylinder 35 andthepoint of engagement of the lever with saldfri'cti'on band. Thus work is required to move the lever in either direction.

-=Adjustment of the resistance during the rearwardstroke is obtained by loosening or tightening the thumb nut on the eye-bolt. In order to adjust the resistance during the forward stroke, the wing nut 38 is loosened and the cylinder 35 is-rotated on its shaft 36' by means of the pin no. This swings the cylinder with its rollers-39 toward-or away from the inner surface of the drum" 2| as shown in Figures 7 to 9, inclusi-veand then the wing nut is tightened. Movement of the cylindertoward or away from the inner surface of' 'the' drum'will increase or decrease, respectivelygthe frictional resistance during the push stroke- 0f the lever. "When adjustment-to resistance inboth directions is effected, the ratio between' theresistance to the forward -or push movement and the resistance to the rearward or pullmovementwill remain constant.

'In*li:,rures 13 and 14 is shown a modified form of slidingseat' 46 having runners 4'! in place of wheels, the runners sliding in grooves 48 in the base. The runners may be secured to the seat by means of screws 49, the screw heads being counter-sunk to provide pockets 50 for receiving aquantity of lubricating material. such as wax for lubricating"therunners'and the grooves to facilitate-movement of .the seat.

" Changes in detailsmight bemade without departing from the. scope and principle of themvention and I desire to be limited only by the state of' the prior. art" and the appended claims.

"What I claim is:

"1. An exercising apparatus including a base, alever, a friction unit mounted on said base comprising.a"drum.havin inner and outer concent'rivsurfaces, 'a'flex'ib'le friction band 'slidably partially iencirclingthe outer surface of said'xdrum and having one end pivotally connected to said lever near one end thereof and its other end connected to said lever nearer the other end of the lever, the first-mentioned end of said lever being arranged to abuttingly fulcrum upon said friction band as the lever is swung in one direction so as to tighten said friction band and produce a predetermined amount of friction between the band and the drum, said end of the lever moving out of contact with and relieving the tension upon said friction band upon swinging of the lever in the opposite direction, and means on said lev'er between its first mentioned end and said pivotal connection thereof to said friction band to contact and to move along the inner surface on said drum as the lever is swung in the second mentioned direction, whereby a different amount of friction is produced on swinging of the lever in the second direction than on swinging of the lever in the other direction.

2. An exercising apparatus including a base, a lever, a friction unit mounted on said base comprising a drum having inner and outer concentric surfaces, a flexible friction band slidably partially encircling the outer surface of said drum and having one end pivotally connected to said lever near one end thereof and its other end connected to said lever nearer the other end of the lever, the first-mentioned end of said lever being arranged to abuttingly fulcrum upon said friction band as the lever is swung in one direction so as to tighten said friction band and produce a predetermined amount of friction between the band and the drum, said end of the lever moving out of contact with and relieving the tension upon said friction band upon swinging of the lever in the opposite direction, and a roller eccentrically 6 mounted and adjustable on said lever between its first-mentioned end and said pivotal connection thereof to said friction band to roll along the inner surface of said drum as the lever is swung in the second-mentioned direction whereby a predetermined but constant amount of friction is produced on swinging of the lever in the secondmentioned direction and can be varied by adjustment of said eccentric mounting of said roller.

3. The exercising machine as defined in claim 1 wherein said lever is channel-shaped and straddles said drum, the first-mentioned end of said friction band is connected to the lever between the side walls of the channel and the lastnamed means includes a cylinder mounted in and between the said side walls of the channel at the inside of said drum to rotate eccentrically, a roller rotatable on said cylinder to contact with the inner surface of said drum whereby upon rotation of said cylinder said roller can be moved near to or farther from the inner surface of said drum, and means for releasably holding said cylinder in adjusted positions.

ALEXANDER F. JACKSON.

REFERENCES CITED The following referenlces are of record in the file of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 441,765 Kimball Dec. 2, 1890 1,205,426 Barnhill Nov. 21, 1916 1,393,374 Howerth Oct. 11, 1921 1,681,205 Williams Aug. 21, 1928 

